Surf Ballroom to Unveil an ‘Immersive’ Buddy Holly Experience

Iowa has its fair share of history, as well as dark history too. In a cornfield on the outskirts of Clear Lake, IA is where three of music's biggest names at the time — Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and "The Big Bopper" J. P. Richardson — perished in a plane crash in what would become known as "The Day the Music Died."

If you haven't been to the crash site, or the nearby Surf Ballroom & Museum in Clear Lake, I highly recommend making the trek. You have even more reason to do so come this fall when the Surf Ballroom will unveil a new, immersive experience dedicated to the memories of Holly, Valens, and Richardson.

READ MORE: The Buddy Holly Crash Site in Clear Lake, IA is a Sobering Memorial of Music History

Per a press release from the Surf Ballroom, the new exhibit will be located in the Music Enrichment Center (MEC), which is adjacent to the ballroom itself:

‘Not Fade Away’ is more than an exhibit — it’s a transformative, multi-sensory journey through the birth of rock 'n' roll and the timeless sound that changed American music forever. Through immersive digital storytelling, historic artifacts, restored audio, and original archival materials, guests will walk in the footsteps of legends - per the Surf Ballroom's press release

The exhibit will house never-before-seen artifacts that are priceless to the history of music as a whole:

Get our free mobile app

• One of only two existing prototypes for the solid body electric guitar called “The Log,” hand built by Les Paul in approximately 1937
• Les Paul's original handwritten plans for the very first 8-track tape recording device
• Les Paul's original 8-track console, which revolutionized modern recording
  1970 custom Gibson guitar owned and played by Les Paul
• Les Paul's signature groundbreaking “Paulverizer,” one of only three in existence
  Celebrity musician artifacts:
• Guitar signed by Buddy Holly while on the 1959 Winter Dance Party Tour
• Les Paul guitar owned and played by Slash, former lead guitarist of Guns ‘n’ Roses
• Les Paul guitar owned and played by Warren Haynes, formerly of the Allman Brothers
• Stratocaster signed by legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy
• BB King signed "Lucille" guitar
• Willie Nelson signed guitar
• Don McLean signed American Pie LP and guitar
• Accordion owned and played by Lawrence Welk
• Leather top hat worn by Slash
• Personal effects of Holly, Valens, and Richardson
• Microphone used by Buddy Holly at his last performance at The Surf Ballroom in 1959
• Red corduroy jacket Buddy Holly wore during his last performance in San Antonio, TX
• Original camera that was used to take the Pulitzer-nominated photos of the fatal plane crash on Feb 3, 1959, that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson
• Hand-tooled leather wallet owned by Ritchie Valens and recovered from the crash
• Briefcase owned by J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and recovered from the crash
• A pair of cufflinks owned by Buddy Holly and recovered from the crash
• Ritchie Valens original Del-Fi Gold Record for "La Bamba" and "Donna"
• Upright bass from the final performance of Buddy Holly’s band, The Crickets

READ MORE: One of Iowa's Highest Rated Bars is Also a Rock and Roll Landmark

Any rock and roll fan is going to want to experience this exhibit first hand. "Not Fade Away" can be accessed via multiple ticket tiers, including VIP packages that grant visitors access to the Surf Ballroom itself. Tickets for the exhibit alone are $19 with group rates available. Cerro Gordo county residents as well as military veterans, seniors, and children can receive discounted tickets as well.

You can find out more information about the "Not Fade Away" exhibit, which will operate year-round upon opening, on the Surf Ballroom's official website.

Take a look at some photos from the Buddy Holly Crash Site and the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, IA below! Also, take a listen to my interview with Don McLean here!